Silver Springs
by TeenIdle
Summary: AU. Kurt's been performing at "The Shed" for a while now, and still hasn't made a name for himself. Blaine hears Kurt singing one night. Things happen! Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Silver Springs

**Author's Note: It's my first fic ever, so bear with me. It will start off slow, I just hope you guys will trust in me and stick with this one! Just something cool, there will be a featured song for each chapter and that will be what the chapter name will be. Anyways, I love feedback, and suggestions and comments are welcomed! You can message me on tumblr, it's teenidlexo and just make sure to add the . tumblr . com part. Stupid fanfiction won't let me add links...*sigh***

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_...I'll begin not to love you,_

_Turn around, see me runnin',_

_I'll say I loved you years ago,_

_Tell myself you never loved me, no..._

The soft, soothing music filled Blaine's ears the minute he walked in the door of the coffee shop. The voice of a petit man was entrancing him, along with the words he sung. Blaine slid himself into a chair and tried not to take his eyes off the silhouette on the stage.

_...And did you say he was pretty?_

_And did you say that he loves you?_

_Baby, I don't wanna know..._

Blaine had never heard a voice quite like the one that was surrounding him and the rest of the people in the shop. The man sung the last note of his song and disappeared behind the stage. Blaine had been to "The Shed" a million times before, but he'd never seen the man who'd mesmerised Blaine with his feathery but powerful falsetto.

"_Kurt Hummel everybody!" _announced the owner of the Shed, who was thanked by a round of applause.

"_He'll be here every night this week, so be sure to tell your friends." _Bill, the owner, removed himself from the stage as another performer walked on, launching into a horrible cover of a Katy Perry song. Blaine lifted himself from his chair and carried himself to the counter. His ears still ringing with the sound of the wonderful voice who he now knew belonged to a man named Kurt.

"_A medium drip please, and an almond biscotti." _He handed over a five dollar bill to the cashier who smiled sweetly and handed him his order. _"Thanks." _ He replied with a smile.

Blaine tied his scarf as he braced himself for the cold wind that would return when he exited the quaint coffee shop. He sipped the drink in hopes that it would warm him up a bit, with no luck. He only lived a few blocks away.

Blaine smiled and nodded at Andy the doorman and proceeded to climb the stairs to his apartment. He shoved his key into the lock and kicked off his shoes as he entered. His apartment was nothing special. A tiny kitchen, a couch placed in the centre of what he considered the living room, and a door leading to the bedroom. The walls were painted an off white. Blaine didn't particularly enjoy the colour, but he had no desire to paint the walls himself.

He took off his coat and scarf before taking a seat on the couch. He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and began texting.

_Hey Jake, we still on for tomorrow? - Blaine_

It didn't take long for Jake to reply, they'd been seeing each other for several weeks now. Nothing official though, Blaine wasn't ready for a boyfriend.

_Of course, we'll meet at the Shed around six, correct? :) – Jake_

_Can't wait. See you tomorrow. – Blaine_

Blaine sighed. He liked Jake. He just didn't know what he wanted from him.

He'd only ever had one serious boyfriend, and that was in high school. It hadn't lasted longer than eight months, but it still managed to damage Blaine more than any other event in his life had. It's been two and a half years since the break up, but Blaine still hadn't found a way to let go.

He looked up at the clock and realised he'd been laying there for over an hour. He brushed his teeth and hopped into his bed. Setting his alarm for 8am.

* * *

Kurt awoke at promptly 6am, like every other day, and began his morning moisturising routine. By 7am Kurt had finished his routine and had thrown on his new Burberry shirt and his prized Alexander McQueen asymmetrical cardigan. He glided around his apartment sharing his voice with his Shiba Inu puppy which he appropriately named Garland.

After finishing his emotional rendition of _"The Man That Got Away" _for Garland, Kurt grabbed his bag and headed out the door.

One of the many things Kurt enjoyed about New York City in early Spring was the brisk morning air. He tried to remember what it was like in Ohio, but it'd been years since he'd been to his hometown. He opened to his favourite bakery in all of New York, "Decadence." He pointed at the small honey and pine nut tart he wanted, and handed the cashier the total.

Next Kurt headed across the street and entered the familiar coffee shop.

"_Hey Bill, busy today?" _Kurt asked enthusiastically.

"_Kurt, it's only 8am, half of New York is still fast asleep! I don't know how you do it kid." _Replied the burly man.

"_Years of practice!" _Kurt joked. _"So any other performers tonight? I can't be the only New Yorker trying to make a name for themselves!"_

"_Afraid not kiddo, the show's all yours! Just try and lay off the Broadway for once."_

Kurt sent an evil glare in Bill's direction, Bill just brushed it off. He was used to Kurt's glares by now.

"_Right, so, how was I last night?"_

"_Fantastic! The house loved it. Where'd you find that song? It didn't seem like something you woulda done." _Bill questioned.

"_It's just...a song that means a lot to me."_ Kurt offered a weak smile.

"_Can I get you anything kiddo? On the house!" _Bill grinned as Kurt nodded and asked for his usual. Bill handed him his non-fat mocha and patted Kurt on the back before retreating behind the counter.

Kurt sat there and sipped his coffee, running over his setlist for the night. He had been performing at the Shed for six months now, hoping that people would began to realise the talent the man possessed. He'd sung everything from Barbra, to Judy, to Whitney, to Mariah, even Madonna. Once or twice he'd covered a song traditionally sung by a man, just to spice things up a bit.

As he finished up the last of his now lukewarm drink Kurt exited the booth and started out the door. He walked into the Thierry Mugler boutique he'd been employed at for over a month now, admiring the new collection of women's clothing they'd just received. Kurt spotted Rachel sifting through the new collection.

"_Come on Rachel, we both know there's no way you can afford any of that." _Kurt nudged her shoulder and giggled. _"And since when have you been interested in designer clothing? I thought that was my thing."_

"_I just thought that if I went into an audition wearing a designer piece they might take an interest in me. Even though my voice is a mix of Barbra and Patti, and that should be enough to get me hired...It's hard Kurt. Have you been to any auditions yet?" _

"_I haven't had time and I've got that gig at the coff—" _Rachel let out a disappointed sigh and cut him off midsentence.

"_Kurt you can't perform at a tiny little coffee shop for the rest of your life. Do you remember the plan we made our sophomore year?" _Kurt nodded. _"We were going to get out of Lima as soon as possible and come to New York to start our careers on Broadway. What happened Kurt?"_

Kurt pondered Rachel's question. What had happened? He was so bent on making it on Broadway and going into showbiz, but somehow his dream got lost along the way.

"_I didn't get into NYADA like you Rachel. It's more difficult for someone without impressive things on their resume like that." _Kurt looked down at the floor, holding back his tears. _"Look at you Rachel. You've already played two of your dream roles, Fanny Brice and Evita Peron and we've only been here three years. That's more than people who've lived here their whole lives can say. You're just more talented Rachel. You are cut out for Broadway. Maybe I'm destined to perform in coffee shops and charity shows for the rest of my life." _Kurt ended his monologue with a weak smile shot in Rachel's direction.

The two continued to make small talk for a good fifteen minutes before Kurt started his shift. They said their goodbyes but Kurt couldn't let go about the conversation they had shared. All day he thought about what Rachel had said, and he promised he would fulfil his dream of playing a leading man on Broadway. He had to.

* * *

**So that's the first chapter. Hope you liked it, and I'll try and get the next few up ASAP. **


	2. Chapter 2: Under The Ivy

**This one is a bit longer than the first chapter. This will probably be my target length for each chapter unless I have a lot to write about! Please review the story, I love feedback. Hope you enjoy, and I'll try to get the next one up sooner!**

* * *

Blaine was bored already. Jake was annoying, needy and wanted something from Blaine that he wasn't sure he could even provide.

"_So, Blaine. What's your favourite food?"_

_Seriously? _Blaine thought. He answered anyways.

"_Cheesecake." _Jake proceeded to make an immature joke about cheese, but Blaine took no notice. The same man, Kurt, from the other night appeared on stage.

"_Hi, everyone. I'm Kurt Hummel, as you know." _Blaine couldn't help but smile at the man's cute high pitched voice. _"Now I know some of you may be getting tired of me, but if that's the case you can get right up out of your seat and walk out the door because I am not going anywhere!" _

Some of the audience members stood up and clapped, a few even whistled. Jake was still going on about cheesecake, but Blaine was completely focused on Kurt's voice.

"_I've been performing here for quite the time and I'm trying to make it big in this city, so if you know any casting directors give them my name!" _Kurt winked at the crowd, before signalling to the band that he was ready to start.

The first bits of the song began to play. The audience halted their conversations and claps and gave their full attention to the stage.

_It wouldn't take me long, _

_To tell you how to find it,_

_To tell you where we'll meet..._

Blaine knew this song. He played it nonstop when Mike and him broke up. It had been raining the night Mike showed up on his doorstep and broke Blaine's teenage heart. Eight months Blaine gave his love and time to who he thought was the love of his life. They were supposed to come to New York together.

_...I sit here in the thunder,_

_The green on grey,_

_I feel it all around me,_

_And it's not easy for me,_

_to give away a secret,_

_it's not safe..._

Tears swelled in Blaine's eyes as the song continued. Jake looked concerned, but didn't say anything.

_...Go into the garden,_

_Go under the ivy,_

_Go under the leaves with me,_

_Go right to the rose,_

_Go right to the white rose,_

_I'll be waiting for you..._

Looking back now, the song didn't seem like a break up song at all. Blaine had sung the song to Mike in hopes that the two would get back together. He even did as the song said and asked Mike to meet him at "their" spot. Under a willow tree in a secluded forest where they would go to be together. They would spend hours lying under the leaves of the tree, planning their future with one another.

_...It wouldn't take me long,_

_To tell you how to find it._

Blaine hadn't noticed that he was crying. Jake had left without a word. Probably shocked by Blaine's reaction to the song. He wiped a tear from his cheek and pulled out his phone. He thought about texting Jake, to let him know what was going on and to apologize. He decided against it and dialled Kate's number.

"_Hello?" _Rang the familiar voice of Blaine's best friend.

"_Hi, Kate. I really need to talk to you. Girl's night?" _Kate could hear the hurt in Blaine's voice, and she knew exactly what—or who, this was about.

"_I'll be over in fifteen!" _She exclaimed with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

Blaine bolted out the door and put his earphones in.

_Kate Bush – Under The Ivy_

Blaine didn't care how much listening to this song hurt. He needed to hear it. Over and over and over again. Though her voice was beautiful, Blaine couldn't get Kurt's voice out of his head.

It took Blaine twenty minutes to walk home, much longer than usual. He must have listened to the song at least ten times. When Blaine arrived Kate was waiting for him in his apartment with a bottle of his favourite Pignot Grigio and two glasses.

"_Tell mama your problems." _Kate joked.

Blaine giggled and took a sip of the subtle white wine Kate had handed him only a few seconds earlier. Kate looked up at Blaine, expecting him to elaborate on the call she had received from him a mere 30 minutes ago. Blaine swallowed another sip of Pignot Grigio before diving into his story.

"_I went to the Shed tonight, to see that guy perform. Well actually I was on a date but I think that went downhill fast and all I wanted was to hear Kurt's voice again because it's so nice and it's nothing like I've ever heard before and then he performed that song that I sung to Mike when we broke up the one about the ivy and Kate I couldn't handle it I broke down in the middle of the performance and I think Jake got up and left and I couldn't stop crying Kate—" _

"_Slow down, Blaine." _Kate placed a hand on his back and pulled him closer.

"_I just miss him, Kate. I miss him so much. I know it's been a few years now, but I can't get over him." _Blaine was crying now, even harder than in the coffee shop. Kate began to tear up as well, trying to console him as best she could. She knew Blaine had been affected by his break up with Mike, but that was in high school. Surely he'd been over the boy by now, or at least found someone new.

"_Blaine...I have to tell you something." _Kate knew that this was the right moment. To get it over with.

"_What is it?" _Blaine said frantically, still emitting tears at a rapid pace.

Kate let out a sigh. _"Mike...He...Well, he moved to New York. He called me and told me a few weeks ago, I just thought you should know that he's here now."_

"_A few weeks? You've known for a few weeks?" _Blaine's tone changed immediately, from sadness to anger. For the record, he abruptly stopped crying.

"_I couldn't tell you Blaine! You would have died. I-I just didn't see a time to bring it up." _Kate raised her voice; she could play this game just as well as Blaine.

"_So you weren't going to tell me? Tell me that the one person I've ever loved, and ever broke my heart is now living GOD KNOWS how many blocks away from me!" _Blaine was yelling now, sure that at least the entire floor could hear him, if not the entire apartment building. _"Any other bombshells you'd like to drop on me?"_

_Well...He sort of kind of has a new boyfriend." _Kate couldn't look Blaine in the eyes when she said this. She didn't want to have to see the pain in his eyes as she muttered the news.

"_You know what Kate...Get out."_

Blaine ushered her to the door, as Kate's face starred at him in shock. They'd never been in a fight like this before. Especially over a boy who neither of them had seen since high school.

Kate turned to look at Blaine like she had something else to say, but Blaine slammed the door in her face before she had the chance to.

Blaine finished the entire bottle of Pignot Grigio that night.

* * *

He had an audition. He had an audition. He had an audition. Kurt couldn't stop repeating the phrase. Since he'd been in New York he had only gone to two auditions. He never received a call-back from either, which is why he hadn't gone to more.

He felt different about this one, more confident. He'd even done a number or two from the show in his high school years. And so what if the part was traditionally played by a woman? Kurt Hummel would not settle for less, he would be playing Rose Hovick in the 2015 revival of _"Gypsy: A Musical Fable."_

Besides, the casting agent didn't seem to think it was odd when he told her he would be auditioning for the part of Rose. She seemed...Excited in fact. The woman, who later revealed herself as Julia, had said that the director was looking to change the show up a bit.

"_Three thirty on Thursday, is that good for you?" _The bubbly voice asked over the phone.

"_Sounds great! I'll be there!" _Kurt miserably failed at trying to hide his excitement.

"_We'll see you then Mr. Hummel." _He could almost hear Julia smile on the other line.

Kurt had only two more days to prepare for what could be the biggest audition of his life. He'd decided on _"Rose's Turn" _the obvious choice for anyone auditioning for the role of Rose. He had performed it in high school, so he knew his audition would be flawless. Still, Kurt spent all day singing the song in his apartment, in at least seven different ways. He needed it to be perfect if he was going to be on Broadway.

Of course, the moment he booked the audition he called Rachel. She squealed the minute he uttered the word _"Audition."_

"_That's great Kurt! Oh my gosh, which show? Who's directing? What song are you auditioning with? Is it a new musical? A revival? COME ON KURT SPILL IT."_

Kurt just laughed. _"Gypsy. I'm auditioning for Rose. Of course I'll be singing Rose's Turn."_

"_Oh. Are you...Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be auditioning for a female role? I mean, not to be rude but do you think they'll even consider you?" _Kurt could tell Rachel was nervous about what he would say next.

_I think that, it's 2015. Men can play women, woman can play men. Do you remember when they changed the role of Bobby in Company to a woman role? The show was just as good, if not better. True, they may be skeptical, but it's worth a shot!" _Rachel picked up on Kurt's anger that was hidden behind his words.

"_Well, break a leg! We'll go for coffee sometime soon, right?" _

"_Of course Rachel. Can't wait...And thank you." _Kurt hung up the phone and continued to sing his heart out.

He was going to play Rose, if it was the last thing he ever did.

* * *

Blaine woke up around noon the next morning. Still affected by the bottle of white wine he consumed the night before. He was lying in his bed, though he had no idea how he got there.

He stumbled to his feet and made his way to the kitchen. Blaine poured himself a glass of water, hoping that it would relieve him of the still apparent intoxication.

Although, the water helped, Blaine jumped into the shower, praying the hot water would wake up his body. After fifteen minutes of staring blankly at the blue tiles in front of him Blaine emerged from the shower.

Wrapping a towel around his waist he returned to his bedroom and quickly clothed himself, throwing on some Diesel jeans and a tight fitting purple American Apparel sweatshirt. He thought about the previous night, how he'd yelled at his best friend and even kicked her out of his apartment. It still amazed him how he could be so hung up on a boy who broke is heart in fucking high school. Ridiculous.

Blaine saw the faint light of his phone on his nightstand, notifying him that he'd received a text.

47 new texts to be exact. Every single one from Kate, they ranged from apologies, to rants about how Mike treated Blaine like shit the entire time they were together, to anger towards Blaine for getting angry at Kate, and ending in a final four page long apology.

He hardly got through a quarter of the texts before he burst into tears. How could he be so stupid as to let a boy get in between him and his best friend? After that though, Blaine realized how cliché his life sounded. He wiped the tears still streaming down his face, trying not to rub them too hard as to make his eyes puffy and red.

Blaine picked up his brown leather messenger bag and headed out the door. The boy wasn't quite sure where he was going, he just knew he needed to be out of his apartment. Blaine strode into a small cafe, purchasing only a blueberry muffin before departing.

He devoured the muffin top, as all true muffin eaters do, and slowly dibbled on the bottom half. (The obvious lesser part of any muffin.) Blaine thought about where he could go next, not wanting to return home. He hadn't noticed how far he'd traveled in such a short amount of time, realizing he was only a few blocks away from the Shed.

Blaine quickened his pace, hoping that he might just catch the man from the other night, Kurt was his name, in the shop. Blaine practically ran inside when he reached the wooden door which was painted the most beautiful shade of green Blaine had ever seen. To his dismay Kurt was nowhere to be found. He was disappointed, more disappointed than he probably should have been since he'd never actually talked to Kurt.

He did spot Bill though, standing behind the counter and chatting up a customer. He waited for the customer to take a seat at a nearby booth before approaching the counter himself.

"_Hi there, I'll take a medium drip." _Blaine paused. _"Also, I was just wondering...The performer from the other night, will he be performing again anytime soon?"_

"_You mean Kurt? Of course, he'll be here all week." _

Blaine thanked the man with a nod and a smile, for both the coffee and his answer to Blaine's burning question. He felt stupid for asking when he looked up and saw the sign advertising the performances for the night, with only Kurt Hummel's name listed next to what Blaine assumed was the time of the event.

Blaine took note of the time and vowed to himself that he would return to see the man perform again.


	3. Chapter 3: Vision of Love

**Took a bit longer to get this one up. I see a few of you are following this story. That means a lot to me, it's my first fic so I'm trying my hardest to keep up to other fic writer's and reader's standards. Anyways, here's chapter three! Enjoy! Four should be up soon since I'll be home every day this week due to an operation I am having tomorrow morning. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

After his conversation with Rachel, Kurt hadn't stopped practicing his song for the audition later that week. Rachel had scared him. What if they wrote him off just because he's a guy? Kurt could probably play Rose better than half of the women that would turn up for the audition. Still, he was nervous.

He relocated to the kitchen of his tiny apartment and pulled out some ingredients from his cupboards. An hour of sifting and mixing and Kurt was popping his creation into the oven. He'd almost forgotten the performance he had later that evening, and began to belt the number he had prepared. Half an hour passed and Kurt pulled the six mini honey cakes out of the oven. He had meant to only make one, but you can't really reduce a baking recipe to one serving. He dusted them with powdered sugar and placed three slices of almond on each.

Kurt moved to the fridge, where he pulled a carton of cream from the second shelf. He poured a little over a cup of the substance into his electric mixer, adding sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. He whipped it for three minutes and moved it from the bowl to a piping bag. He allowed the cakes to cool and proceeded to pipe a dollop of the lemon whipped cream onto each of the cakes.

"_Don't these look delicious!" _Kurt's cat, whom he'd named Simon, slowly sauntered into the kitchen. Kurt could swear Simon was eyeing the cakes like he wanted to devour them for dinner. Simon gave him a purr of approval in response. He poured himself a glass of his favourite wine before stepping onto his balcony. Now, a balcony in New York City is both a blessing and a curse. He had a view of the streets, but had to deal with the noise that came with it. New York was beautiful at this time of day. The sky was beginning to turn dark, which made the man wonder what time it was.

Upon finding out the time and scarfing down the remainder of his confection, Kurt rushed out the door into the busy streets of New York. Dodging people and cars alike, he ran and crossed streets like a mad man, praying he wouldn't be late.

Kurt turned the corner and found himself face to face with the deep green colour of the Shed's door. He turned the handle and entered the shop. Kurt thought it was strange how he spent so much time at one single coffee shop in all of New York City. He not only admired the owner but also his wife for having such a keen eye for design. Brown leather chairs scattered throughout the space, littered with marble tables. The lighting was soft, and the music that played while customers sipped their coffee ranged from Bjork to Adele. Kurt loved it.

He rushed himself backstage, hoping Bill wouldn't notice he was five minutes late. Kurt couldn't focus. He was thinking of the possibly life-altering audition he had tomorrow afternoon. His whole Broadway career was riding on a four minute song. One of the baristas nudged him to grab his attention.

"_You're on in three!" _

"_Thanks Scott." _Kurt politely smiled at the boy. He and Scott had dated before. Only for about a month so there were no hard feelings between the two. They'd both agreed it was the right thing for them to split up, and that was that. Of course, they were still acquaintances.

Kurt rushed onto the stage and took his place behind the makeshift curtain they'd put up. He could hear the customers chatting, and even chanting for him to come on.

"_Kurt Hummel everybody!" _Bill announced into the microphone.

The velvet curtain raised as Kurt's music began. He'd taken a risk in his song choice, opting for a more difficult tune this time around.

* * *

Blaine trudged home, excited to return to the coffee shop in only a few hours to hear the man's voice again. Blaine smiled from ear to ear just thinking about it. It was so odd for Blaine. To have a crush on someone he'd never said a word to. Is it even a crush? He thought about how crazy he sounded as he turned his key, entering his apartment.

He threw his bag onto the couch, slumping down right beside it. He surfed the channels for something worthwhile but to no avail. Blaine dragged himself to the washroom, showering for the second time that day. He dressed himself in powder blue trousers, matched with a teal and gold sweater. He tried to make his hair look as good as possible, but asked himself why. Surely, he wasn't subconsciously dressing up for Kurt?

Blaine slung his bag over his shoulder and started out the door, making sure to lock the door behind him. He was practically skipping down the streets of New York as he made his way to the Shed, eager to see Kurt perform again.

Blaine turned the corner and found himself face to face with the deep green colour of the Shed's door. He turned the handle and entered the shop. He tried not to think about what would happen if he'd missed Kurt's performance. Many were filtering into the shop at this moment, which Blaine took as a good sign. He took his seat in the center of the room, sliding down into the brown leather chair.

A barista came over to ask him if he'd like anything to drink. Naturally, Blaine ordered a medium drip. The barista thanked Blaine for the money, and went off to fetch Blaine's drink.

As the barista handed him his coffee, a man Blaine recognized almost instantly stepped out in front of the stage. Bill introduced Kurt and returned to his place behind the counter. Ready to serve the waiting customer.

The velvet curtain raised as music for Kurt's song began. Blaine noticed the tune of the song, praying that Kurt had the ability to take on such a difficult song. The crowd whistled and cheered as Kurt began to sing.

* * *

Kurt grabbed the microphone for dramatic effect, and let out a deep growly note.

_Treated me kind,_

_Sweet destiny,_

_Carried me through desperation,_

_To the one that was waiting for me,_

_It took so long,_

_Still I believed,_

_Somehow the one that I needed would find me eventually..._

Kurt couldn't help but feel ecstasy as he sang the song that'd meant so much to him. He tried not to look into the audience as he reminisced about Alex. Alex wasn't Kurt's first, but it had sure felt like it. The two grew so close over the year and a half they had been together. The romance began when Kurt first moved to New York.

_...I had a vision of love,_

_And it was all that you've given to me._

_Straight through the nights,_

_Felt so alone,_

_Suffered through alienation, _

_Carried the weight on my own,_

_Had to be strong,_

_So I believed,_

_That I'd succeeded in finding a place I can see..._

Kurt was crying now. Both from the memories of Alex and from the power and energy he was putting into his performance. He repeated the chorus and sung through the third verse, bracing himself for the final few notes.

_...I had a vision of love,_

_And it was all..._

He surprised even himself when he let his voice go crazy and perform vocal runs he didn't even know he could. The audience cheered and whistled when he ended the nine second note complete with octave changes.

_...That you turned out to be._

Kurt's final fifteen second note shocked the audience, and Kurt tried to refrain from fainting when he looked up into the audience to see that every single person was standing. He'd earned a standing ovation. He slipped off stage and Scott handed him a glass of water like he did every time Kurt performed.

"_That was amazing Kurt! I've never heard anyone tackle Mariah Carey and actually pull it off, and especially not a song like "Vision of Love." Arguably her hardest song."_Kurt could hear Scott's excitement through his voice. Scott was Mariah Carey's biggest fan...Besides Alex of course.

"_Thanks Scott." _Kurt genuinely smiled. He couldn't help but notice Scott blush. Kurt knew even though they both clearly liked one another, that there wasn't enough there for them to get back together.

Kurt was complimented by every single person he passed on his way to the counter. He placed his order and took a seat at one of the stools parallel to the counter. Kurt noticed the dark haired man approach the counter and say something to Bill. Kurt leaned closer in hopes of hearing what the two were talking about. He couldn't hear much, just a series of words.

"_Tuesday...Three-Thirty...Thanks, Blaine."_

Blaine. What a beautiful name, Kurt thought. He had no idea what Blaine and Bill had been talking about, but at least he knew the stunning man's name. He exited the coffee shop and couldn't help but smile as the man he now knew as Blaine passed by him.


	4. Chapter 4: Rose's Turn

Blaine _almost _turned around to speak to the man that had just passed him. He couldn't help but smile for the seventh time tonight as he thought about Kurt's voice and the way he looked on stage. God, Blaine wanted him so bad. Even to just speak to him would mean so much to Blaine.

He hurried home, eager to get to sleep. Tomorrow was a big day for Blaine, he'd be meeting with his mother. They hadn't seen one another since Blaine left home years ago. He knew exactly where he would be taking her. This cute little tea shop hidden in the busy streets of New York City. He had found "Sakura" one day by accident. Blaine just needed directions to the nearest Subway Terminal, but ended up indulging in fine Japanese teas. Since then, he'd returned to Sakura and even purchased some teas to bring home with him.

Blaine was only a seven minute walk away from Sakura. He wondered if the shop would still be open. Weaving his way through the backstreets of New York City, he came upon the sign that was the colour of a Cherry Blossom. By the divine work of the Gods, Sakura was still open.

Sakura was the kind of place his mother would fawn over. It was very neat and classy, the food they served was only the best, and their teas were exceptional. Blaine made his way to the tea display, eyeing the new teas they had received. He picked out their most famous tea, a peach and sakura blossom green tea for his mother. Happy with his choice he walked over to the cash register. The middle aged Asian woman placed the tea in a decorative box and handed it to Blaine.

Taking one last look at the store before heading out the door, he thought about how his mother had forced a fancy lifestyle upon him. His mother had always taken Blaine to high class restaurants as a child. Of course, he never knew what anything on the menu was, which meant he wasn't particularly excited to try the food. His mom had tried to develop Blaine's taste for fine foods but what she didn't realize was that Blaine was a young adult in New York City. He could never afford the "finer things in life." He could barely afford to pay rent each month.

Blaine tidied his apartment a bit, before making himself some pasta. It always amazed Blaine how he wasn't tired of pasta yet. He'd eaten it almost every night since he had moved to New York. It was all he was able to afford. Luckily Blaine had a job interview in a few days, and it didn't hurt that it was at the Shed. He thought it would be the perfect place for him to be able to meet Kurt.

He curled up into bed, set his alarm and quickly fell asleep. Prepared for whatever happened in the morning.

* * *

Kurt was stressing. His audition was tomorrow afternoon and he didn't feel ready. Granted he'd received a standing ovation at the Shed the other night. He'd gone over his choice at least thirty times since he had received an audition time. He knew his piece was perfect, but he wasn't sure if it would be good enough to land him a role on Broadway.

He prepared some tea with honey and lemon (Kurt always did this before an audition, just like Mariah Carey does) and slipped into his pajamas. He made his way to his vinyl player and pulled out his _Judy At Carnegie Hall _record. Kurt crawled into bed and slowly sipped his scalding hot tea as he listened to Judy Garland croon through the speakers. Kurt was fast asleep within twenty minutes.

He awoke only three hours later. Too psyched about his audition in a couple of hours, he jumped out of bed and headed to the kitchen. Having missed dinner, he began to prepare himself a...well...a 3am meal. Kurt wasn't quite sure what this was classified as. Dinner? Breakfast? Whatever it was, Kurt continued to make his meal.

Nothing fancy, just a grilled sunflower seed pesto, tomato and mozzarella Panini. Kurt knew he shouldn't be eating dairy before his audition, but it wasn't for at least ten hours so he figured it was alright. He settled on the couch and switched on the TV. Obviously, nothing interesting was on. It was three thirty on a Monday night after all. He must have fallen asleep because when Kurt opened his eyes next it was just passed ten in the morning.

Grabbing his instrumental track and a scarf Kurt headed into the bustling streets of New York, ready for the day he had ahead of him.

* * *

She had never been to New York before. So when Celine Anderson exited the airport and into the streets she was overwhelmed by the mass amount of people that surrounded her. Celine pushed through the crowd of people, hoping she might spot her son. She reached into her coat pocket, thinking her son might have texted or called her. To her dismay, nothing.

Continuing her search for her boy, Celine entered the nearby Starbucks. As she ordered her coffee her phone vibrated in her hand.

"_Hello?" _

"_Hi, mom. I'm running a little late, I should be there in ten depending on traffic."_

Typical Blaine, never on time. Celine shook her head as he spoke. She raised him better than that.

"_That's fine Blaine." _She responded coldly. _"I'm in the Starbucks."_

It's not that Celine was disappointed in her son. She just...Wanted more from him. Moving to New York was such a rash decision for Blaine. Look where he is now, living in this huge city, unemployed, alone. She was worried about him.

She sat there thinking of advice she could give her son as they had lunch this afternoon. Celine barely recognized her son as he walked through the doors of the Starbucks, and he didn't seem to recognize her either. Blaine looked around the store, searching for, well, her. Celine tried not to laugh as she swallowed a few drops of her coffee.

It took Blaine a moment to register that his mother was sitting in the far corner of the Starbucks. She must have thought he was delusional, not recognizing his own mother. Blaine just thanked God that it was his mother and not his father, or he would never here the end of it. He remembered he was still standing by the doors and practically ran to sit across from his mother.

"_Hi, mom. How was the flight?"_

"_It was fine, Blaine. It's good to see you. You look...nice." _Blaine could tell his mother was not impressed in his outfit choice. She likes designer clothes, so seeing her son in American Apparel must have been a major letdown.

"_But...Would it kill you to buy some Marc Jacobs or something?" _Blaine resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his mother.

"_I don't work Ma. How do you expect me to afford something like that?" _

"_If you are having financial troubles Blaine, your father and I can help you out." _His mother's tone changed. It sounded like she...pitied Blaine.

"_No. I told you already, I want to make it on my own. You guys have already taken care of me for 18 years. I don't need your help anymore." _

"_Suit yourself." _Celine sighed. _"I just don't want you to end up on the streets because you're too proud to ask for some money."_

"_Should we just go to brunch now?" _Blaine was getting fed up with his mother, and they'd only been together for ten minutes. His mother nodded, they both got up from their chairs and started out the door.

"_Is it always this cold in New York City?" _

"_Are you always this much of a diva? It's not even cold out." _Blaine shot back.

"_Blaine Anderson, I will not tolerate that beh-"_

"_Shut up. We're here." _Blaine turned to his mom, she looked stunned at his choice of words, but quickly brushed it off.

Blaine opened the door and allowed his mother to enter Sakura first. He watched her closely. Wanting to see her reaction to the place because he knew whether she liked it or hated it that it would show in her face. She looked around, taking in the decor, and the staff and everyone around them. Something was off though. Blaine saw no emotion in her face, no approval nor disapproval. The same woman who had served Blaine the other night was now showing them to a table by the window.

They were handed a small menu, coloured a light pink. He starred as his mom eyed the sheet of paper in her fingers. Blaine already knew what he would be ordering so he hadn't even give the menu a glance. His mother set her menu down and smiled at Blaine.

"_This is a great place Blaine. I'm glad you took me here." _Blaine smiled back at his mother.

The waitress appeared and took their orders. Blaine would have the scones with lemon curd, jam, and cream, while his mother ordered the butternut squash soup. Blaine laughed as she explained that it would make New York seem a bit warmer. It didn't take their food that long to get there, since there were only a handful of customers.

"_Mmm, this is delicious!" _Blaine was embarrassed at the loud moan that emitted from his mother's mouth as she took a spoonful of the soup in her mouth.

"_Hey mom, I know it's New York, but if you could refrain from having orgasms in public that would be...Amazing." _Celine shot Blaine a look of disgust. Blaine knew what was running through her mind right now. _Is this the kind of boy I raised? _He could only imagine.

Blaine and his mother finished their lunch making casual conversation along the way. For the first time Blaine how much he'd missed his mother, and how much he needed her. The two parted later that night as Celine had a meeting to attend. Blaine was sure she would return to see him in the near future...No, he hoped she did.

* * *

Kurt entered the theatre. He hadn't been this nervous since he had auditioned for NYADA back in High School. There were a few others within the lobby, filling out papers. He approached the desk placed in the far corner of the waiting room area. A woman, the same one who had spoken to him on the phone handed him a booklet of papers he was required to fill out. He almost wasn't able to sign his name as his hands were shaking so much. They called the first few girls in for their auditions. Then another four...And another...And another. It took an hour and a half to get to Kurt's group.

He thought this might be a good thing. Going last is great because you are fresh in their minds when they make their decision, Rachel taught him director allowed the group to watch one another's audition, which made Kurt even more nervous. The first girl performed "_Some People." _The next one did _"My Man" _from Funny Girl. The third girl did a cover of some Katy Perry song which made Kurt feel much better about his own audition. When he got up there, and his music began, he felt ready.

_Here he is boys!_

_Here he is world!_

_Here's Kurt!_

_Curtain up!_

_Light the lights!_

_Play it, boys!_

He tried to look into the audience to see the director's face as he sung his signature song. He couldn't make any faces out due to the bright lights shining on him. He danced around the stage and sung his heart out.

_...__Why did I do it?  
What did it get me?  
Scrapbooks full of me in the background.  
Give 'em love and what does it get ya?  
What does it get ya?  
One quick look as each of 'em leaves you.  
All your life and what does it get ya?  
Thanks a lot and out with the garbage.  
They take bows and you're battin' zero..._

Kurt caught himself. He knew he screwed up that note, but he didn't stop. He kept on going, even made up for it by going an octave up to show off his vocal skills.

_...Well, someone tell me, when is it my turn?  
Don't I get a dream for myself?  
Starting now it's gonna be my turn.  
Gangway, world, get off of my runway!  
Starting now I bat a thousand!  
This time, boys, I'm taking the bows and,_

_everything's coming up Rose!_  
_Everything's coming up roses!_  
_Everything's coming up roses!_  
_This time for me!_

Though the note doesn't last as long as Kurt held it, he was proud of his choice to drag out the final note of the song. He heard a cluster of faint claps, but was still blinded from the light.

"_That was great Mr. Hummel!" _He heard, who he assumed was the director, say. _"We'll be in touch!"_

"_Thank you very much."_Kurt strode off stage with a feeling of confidence he never knew her had. Even if he didn't get the part, he knew he gave the performance of a lifetime. Besides, he'd always have the coffee shop.

Rachel had called at least twelve times since three that afternoon. Rachel also left Kurt twelve voicemails that afternoon. All pertaining to, you guessed it! His audition. Kurt sifted through them, trying to get the gist of it before calling Rachel.

"_It went great Rachel, I think they enjoyed it."_

"_Well...Did you get the part?" _Rachel was shouting now.

"_I don't know! I'm sure they will call the moment they know."_

"_Do you want to go for coffee later?" _Rachel seemed to have calmed down as she asked.

"_I'd love to." _Kurt smiled and promptly hung up the phone.

He slumped down on his bed, happy with what he'd shown the director. Kurt couldn't wait to see where this would lead him next.

* * *

Blaine awoke to the sound of...birds? In his years of living in New York City he had never ever been awakened by birds. He leaped out of bed, it was Thursday already. He was pumped to go to his interview at the Shed. Not only because if he got a job there he would have a reason to talk to Kurt, but also because he'd have a way to pay his rent.

He threw on something that he wouldn't wear normally, which meant it must be pretty fancy. Blaine had slept until 1:30pm, so he was rushing to get out the door now. He made sure to grab his resume, though he didn't know why as he hadn't had much experience. Just one or two jobs from his teenage years.

Now that he thought about it, the Shed wouldn't be much different from the jobs he had when he was younger. Serving customers and pouring coffee? Simple. Blaine was confident now. He would get the job.

"_Hey there Blaine, you're right on time." _Bill seemed happy about that, he led Blaine to his office and offered him a chair. _"Let's get started, shall we?" _Blaine nodded in agreement.

The interview wasn't hard. It was just nerve-wracking. Bill had grilled Blaine, and it made him stutter through Bill's questions. When he'd finished with Blaine, he thanked him for coming down and told Blaine they'd be in touch.

Blaine returned to the shop, ordering a medium Drip on his way out. Blaine turned the corner towards the door, before a familiar face stopped him in his tracks.

There he was, seated in one of the large leather chairs.

Mike.


End file.
